Being stuck alone in a hostile wasteland burdened by a crushing guild can't be good for your mental health. Right? Yeah. Anyways, I--------------I'm back! Haha! You missed me, I can tell. This chapter is in celebration of 100+ hits! Woo! On to Chapter Seven! Enjoy.

Don't own fallout 3 or any content. And it would be cool if I did.

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Chapter Seven

Mental Stability? Gone.

~The hunt is on, young one.~

I froze, mid-step, my mood shriveling away. Oh, no. Not you. "What do you want?" I whispered.

~Is that a way to treat an old friend?~ It sounded hurt.

"Yes, it is." I snapped, still whispering. "I don't need you."

~"I've kept quiet for a long time. And you still want to be rid of me?~

"The-, where did you go?"

~Wandered the Wasteland for a while. And your sub-concious. Both equally interesting~ It said flatly.

"Leave me alone." I said, starting to worry. "I don't need you."

~I've saved your life more than once Shift. You can't be rid of me.~

"Yes. I can. Leave now Farell." I started to walk towards Jericho's house.

~You remembered my name. I'm touched.~

"Leave!" I was on the Southern Wall of Jericho's house, hoping to God nobody came by and saw me. Or heard me, for that matter.

~I can't fully leave, you know. But, if I'm so annoying, see a doctor. Mabye you can be rid of me~

The corner of my mouth twitched, amused. At this point, Farell materialized out of nowhere, and as always, wearing his black duster, black pants, black shirt, black fedora, and his .44 revolvers.

Nobody else could see him, I'd learned that the hard way. The residents of Canterbury Commons still think I'm batshit insane. Not hard to believe, seeing as I walked into town having an argument with Farell.

I raised an eyebrow. "You mean a shrink?" I asked incredulously.

But Farell had gone. Where? Back to wherever the hell he went. Damned punk drove me insane.

I sighed, and walked back towards home. I really don't need this. I stepped inside, and Fell was sitting at the table, eating a bowl of noodles.

"They're dead? Already?" She asked.

I shook my head. "No, they're not."

She shot me an angry look. "Why the fuck not?"

"I need to think for a while."

"Think about what? They're right damn here! What's there to think about?" She challanged.

~She's got a point you know~

"I want to know more about why were picked off."

~Touching~

"Oh."

"Yeah." I headed upstairs, and sat down. I turned on the terminal, and was greeted by Sevyaj.

H'lo kid. What the hell else it there to tell you?

How did- right. Eyes and ears. Only one thing, really. Why was Ridgefield exterminated?

Thought you knew.

Well, obviously, I don't.

Right. Anyways, here's why. A couple weeks before the hit was accepted, somebody visited Ridgefield. A certain, Mr. Burke. He didn't like Ridgefield. Too civilized, he thought. So he hired a mercenary to destroy it any way he deemed neccesary.

And that included being a Phantom.

Yup. See, the merc had planned to join Phantom Co. anyway, and now he was being paid to do so. The merc's name became Night, and he went with Crux, Jericho, to take down your happy little town.

But why?

Dunno. That all?

No. Another person survived.

Nope.

Yes! She was killed by raiders, and we found a holo-tape of her saying that she escaped.

She escaped the massacre, yes. But do you really think that Raiders can't become Phantoms?

I paled. You mean...

Yup. Almost every famous rational Raider was a Phantom. Or is, for that matter. Every Phantom is informed of every other Phantom's jobs.

I logged off, and went downstairs. Fell was still at her noodles, and she choked when I told her why. "His name was, Mr. Burke?"

"Yes, why?" I asked.

"There's a Mr. Burke down at Moriarty's." She told me.

My mouth dropped an inch. "What?"

She nodded. "Yup. There's been this buisnessman down at Moriarty's for the last few months."

I grabbed Fell's arm, and led her out the door. "Let's go.

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There! The attack explained. Well. Now that the, introduction, if you would call it that, is over, we can get to the actual real plot. To all of you that haven't reviewed. C'mon. Please take the thirty-something seconds it takes to review. It makes it all that easier to write out another chapter

Q&A period

ZelloJello--- Thank you for reviewing! Really, thanks. Anyways, Shift teamed up with Fell because, well, whose company would you chose? A perky, outgoing, good-looking fighter, or a demonic, sadistic person who can't really help you out at all. And I've explained the hit in this chapter, so yeah. Thanks again.